PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms operating in Nigeria over allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful exploitation of news content, and other potentially unfair market conduct.
The directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which comprises the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP). The Federal Government’s decision was conveyed to the FCCPC in a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris.
The development was disclosed in a press statement signed by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs.
According to the statement, the investigation is expected to mark a significant milestone in Nigeria’s media landscape as concerns continue to mount over the growing influence of digital platforms on the sustainability of the country’s news ecosystem.
It stated that the NPO has expressed increasing concern over the activities of major technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet, X (formerly Twitter), and certain Generative AI platforms. The organisation alleged that some of their practices could undermine fair competition, weaken the commercial viability of Nigerian media organisations, and infringe on the legitimate rights of content creators and publishers.
Reacting to the directive, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to carrying out an independent, transparent, and evidence-based investigation.
“We recognise the strategic importance of the media to Nigeria’s democracy and the equally significant role of technology in driving innovation and economic growth. Our responsibility is to objectively determine the facts and ensure that competition within the digital ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and consistent with Nigerian law,” Bello said.
He stressed that the inquiry should not be interpreted as a presumption of wrongdoing by any organisation.
“This inquiry is not directed at any entity by presumption of wrongdoing. Rather, it is an opportunity to carefully examine the facts, hear from all affected parties, and determine whether any conduct has resulted in anti-competitive outcomes or unfair business practices. Every party will be accorded a fair opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached,” he added.
The Commission said the investigation will determine whether the alleged practices constitute violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or any other applicable Nigerian law.
The statement recalled that the FCCPC had previously investigated Meta and, in 2025, secured a landmark judgment against the technology company over violations of the FCCPA, including data breaches. Meta was subsequently fined $220 million but has appealed the decision.
According to the FCCPC, the fresh investigation will focus on several critical areas, including allegations of market dominance and anti-competitive conduct by global technology companies.
The Commission will also examine claims of unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion, or commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials, and other original journalistic content for the development and training of Generative AI models.
Another major area of inquiry will be allegations that Nigerian news publishers have been denied fair commercial engagement with global technology companies, including meaningful opportunities to negotiate appropriate compensation or commercial agreements for the use of their journalistic content.
The statement further noted that similar concerns had previously been raised in South Africa, where an investigation by the South African Competition Commission eventually resulted in Google agreeing to compensate South African news media with R688 million (approximately $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years.